Father of a Boy Whose Manhood Was Cut Off Asks For Help

Almost a year ago (on January 3, 2012) Ayuba, a 12-year-old boy who hails from Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, together with his neighbour friend Tukur Iliyasu went to a nearby bush to fetch firewood. On their way to the bush, Ayuba stepped on a thorn and requested Tukur to help him remove it. Instead of helping him, Tukur allegedly brought out a sharp knife and removed the boy's private part and cut his throat.

Thinking that the boy died, Tukur fled to an unknown destination. But Ayuba managed to crawl home where he narrated what happened.

The case was reported to the Police, and the boy received medical treatment.

Speaking on the matter, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Hassan Mohammed Auyo, said the police have done a lot to save the life of the boy

Recently, speaking with the newsmen, father of the boy Mallam Halilu Liman said: "About five months ago, the permanent secretary in the state’s Ministry of Health invited us to ask us to choose whether the boy should be turned into a female or to allow him to remain a male without manhood. We decided that the boy should remain a male without his manhood, but since them we have not heard from them."

Liman appealed to Governor Isa Yuguda to intervene and save the life of his son, who he said has been ill since the incident.

"When Governor Yuguda visited, he pledged to take full responsibility of the boy’s treatment, and we are grateful to him. His help was what made it possible for the boy to survive," he said.

He distributed copies of the report on the boy to newsmen; the report read thus: "Absence of the testes, which is the primary source of male hormones, enormously complicates the treatment options. These include reconstructing male genitalia and placing him on testosterone replacement for life. This has serious draw backs because of the need to use implant and the long term complication from the use of testosterone, and also uncertainty of the patient being able or willing to use it for life, and the second option is constructing a female genitalia, and basically gender reassignment, this is an easier option and less challenging; however, because of his age, he has developed a personality and already has male friends".

When contacted, the state’s commissioner of health, Dr Sani Malami, said, “If the parents of the boy have chosen the option of gender reassignment, then they should come to the ministry so that necessary action can be taken because the best option for the boy is to turn him into a female. But we spoke to religious scholars who cautioned us against turning the boy into a female. However, I must reiterate the commitment of the ministry to assist the boy”.

The Bauchi State government has pledged to pay N2 million to anybody who can give useful information that will lead to the arrest of those who carried out the act.